The 16-party United Opposition Forum in Assam on Tuesday sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the “earliest” on the “volatile situation” that could unfold in the state with the proposed implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The letter comes six days after the forum had urged President Droupadi Murmu to “direct” the Centre to “desist” from implementing the “unconstitutional and anti-national” CAA in the state or face a mass democratic movement till the legislation is repealed.

Seeking Modi’s immediate intervention to address the “most sensitive” CAA issue, the Opposition United Forum said its leaders can meet the Prime Minister during his proposed visit to Assam on March 8 and 9 if he so desires.

The appeal was made in a letter signed by state PCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi to apprise Modi of the “ground situation” arising out of the announcement made by Union home minister Amit Shah on the implementation of the CAA in Assam before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The letter stated that various political parties and stakeholders had “opposed” the CAA 2019 “from the date of its introduction in Parliament”, even leading to the death of five youths during the protests.

The CAA expedites the process of granting Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have entered India without papers before December 31, 2014.

Stating the grounds for the people’s opposition to the act, the letter to Modi said: “As responsible Opposition political parties we are duty-bound to raise the voices of the people.”

The letter added: “There is a strong perception among the people of Assam, irrespective of caste, creed and political affiliation, that the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 will put in danger the culture, history, socio-economic condition, social fabric and identity of Assamese people.”

The Act will nullify the Assam Accord of 1985, the letter said. The Assam Accord says foreigners entering the state on or after March 25, 1971, shall continue to be detected and expelled.

It also provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the Assamese people.

AASU, at the forefront of the protests in 2019, has already announced an agitation against any move to notify CAA rules. These include a bike rally on March 7, lighting of diyas on March 8 in memory of the five youths killed during the protests, and a 12-hour hunger strike on March 9. The protests coincide with Modi’s visit to Assam.